Michigan Police Crackdown On Car Window Tint Intensifies

Michigan Police have sent a clear message to people driving with illegal window tints on their vehicles. This is due to safety concerns, as tinted windows can obstruct visibility. 

Police can pull over and ticket drivers for illegal window tinting. 

Window tint violations can be enforced as a primary offense, meaning drivers can be stopped for this reason alone. Some tickets may be waived if drivers remove the tint within two weeks and pay a small fine. 

Michigan law prohibits tints with more than 35% solar reflectivity. 

The rear side and rearview windows can be covered with a window tint that lets in a minimum of 35% light. Michigan law allows medical exemptions. 

Law also protects officers on duty during traffic stops for safety.

Drivers who receive a waivable ticket may have points added to their driving record if they reinstall the tint.

Drivers may be cited for vision obstruction, which can carry two points.

Since the initiative began on Dec. 26, Dearborn officers have issued about 850 tickets for tint violations, Chief Issa Shahin told the Free Press on Friday.

"It's against the law, and it's something that we've really started to focus on, and I don't see us stopping anytime soon," he said.

According to police, illegal window tints pose serious safety risks for officers and the public. For law enforcement, heavily tinted windows make it difficult to see inside a vehicle during a traffic stop, leaving officers unaware of how many occupants are inside or whether someone may be armed. From a public safety standpoint, pedestrians often ensure the driver sees them before crossing the street, which dark tints can obstruct.

Michigan law, MCL 257.709, allows tints on the rear side windows, rear window, and the top four inches of the front side windows. A non-reflective tint is also allowed on the top four inches of the windshield; a medical exemption permits tint on the front windows with a doctor’s prescription. While the state does not regulate tint darkness, it prohibits tints with more than 35% solar reflectivity.

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